Wilkes County Schools reports that they have had to cut eight teaching positions, seven teacher assistant positions, three media assistants and 1.5 central office positions.

Wilkes’ Superintendent Dr. Marty Hemric told the Wilkes Journal-Patriotthat thanks to state budget cuts over the past five years, the school district has lost of over 100 school positions, including 51 teacher assistants (from 126 in 2008-09 to 75 now), 35 certified teachers (from 484 ½ in 2008-09 to 449.25 now), 15½ central office administrative positions and three media assistants.

Even more positions would have been lost since 2008 if the Wilkes school system hadn’t been able to use federal funds provided through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (also known as stimulus funding) and the Race To The Top initiative to compensate for cuts in state and local funding.

Wilkes County Schools joins a growing list of school districts that have been forced to make difficult cuts for the 2013-14 school year thanks to reductions in state-level education spending.

Stan Winborne of Granville County Schools reported to NC Policy Watch that they have had to eliminate 35 positions for 2013-14, although no one had to be laid off. They have also tried their best to reduce the negative impact on their students in the classroom.

Angela Henry, CFO for Guilford County Schools (GCS), sent NC Policy Watch a full accounting of all of the cuts GCS has had to make as a result of state budget reductions and the accumulation of reductions in state funding over the last several years:

Increased class size by .25 = a reduction of 37 teaching positions;

Eliminated $5.1 million in funding schools use for tutoring /instructional supplies/professional development/summer programs;

Eliminated mentor pay for teachers serving as mentors of first year teachers;

Eliminated seven middle school literacy facilitator positions; and

Reduced days of employment for teacher assistants and other paraprofessionals by 2.5 days.

Fortunately, GCS was able to place all impacted employees into vacant positions, so layoffs were not required.

Check out our growing list of school districts that have been forced to make difficult cuts for the 2013-14 school year.